Friday, September 17, 2010

Glad week 2 is over with. I have no further comments on Alabama. The game was deleted from our DVR the minute we got home. All my thoughts have been on this week's rebound game against the Golden Flashes, great name.

I'm aware that Lou Holtz has put us on upset alert, he even had some good points. We're a team that can't run the ball and they're a team with a great run defense. They gave BC a good game and BC is good, I guess. He then went on to say that we're going to have a hangover from last week? Does he realize we lost? I think you have a hangover after you win a big game (see: Iowa, 2008).

We're going to come out sharp, Troutman and the offensive line are going to maul Kent St, that's just how I feel anyway. I think Royster stops tripping in the backfield and performs like his old self against a bad team. Bolden has an even better game after facing Alabama speed last week, but I think the defense will still be a problem. I haven't been encouraged by much I've seen from them in the two games so far this year.

They haven't gotten pressure on the quarterback, they haven't disrupted any running plays, they haven't contested passes, they haven't tackled well, they haven't forced a single turnover. If one or two of those things was happening maybe I'd be more optimistic about the rest falling into place, but really no aspect of this year's D resembles a Penn State defense. So I'm skeptical. I think we need to tighten the rotation at LBer and I think Crawford and Latimore need to wake up and get in the backfield.

Despite all my concerns, I really like this team. If only because it's not what I'm used to. I get the feeling that this team might have an upset in them this season, but I can also see them dropping a gimme. I'm used to Penn State taking care of everyone they're supposed to and sometimes stealing the odd game against Ohio State. In the regular season that's really all we've done lately. It's far from a bad thing to be favored in most games you play, but this year I don't think we'll be favored against Iowa, Ohio St and maybe even Michigan, but I think we win at least one of those games.